Whether it's candy cane under the Christmas tree or just a little bit of peace with no alarm clocks going off, S has intercepted the Santa wish lists of some of Sydney's celebrities before they hit the post on their way to the North Pole. Here are some of our faves.

■ Catriona Rowntree, who will be bracing herself to host this year's NYE fireworks from Sydney Harbour for Nine's broadcast, is just hoping to limp over the finish line to the end of 2012. ''I feel like the run-up to Christmas is like preparing for a marathon, not that I'm an expert in that field. But I'm putting in the hard yards now, diligently working through my to-do list, full of anxiety about the big day, where I'll no doubt peak too early, accidentally eat my body weight in pudding midway and finally fall in a heap on Christmas night. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.''

■ Experienced mum Sunrise's Melissa Doyle has the right idea and hopes to keep Christmas simple. She is looking forward to some ''good quality home time between the pool and the barbecue and then a week lying on a beach''. She's also hoping for ''a fancy new Mixmaster'' as her ''Nanna's old 1967 Sunbeam mixer has finally carked it''.

■ Her colleague, Mark Beretta also wants a replacement cooking instrument. ''Our old faithful barbecue has started to fall apart -

I still love it, but after 12 years it's time.'' He plans plenty of sun and surf with his kids to relax.

■ Fox Sports presenter Mark Bosnich, who is doing an afternoon radio show on Triple M, will be with all the family on Christmas Day including his parents and one-year-old daughter Allegra. ''That will mean a lot of mouths to feed so I'll be helping out with the barbecue, or more likely relegated to setting the table,'' he says. No undies and socks please - Bozza is instead hoping simply for the ''A-League to continue its rise and progress''.

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■ Fellow Fox Sports presenter Brendon Julian is looking forward to lots of cricket over summer, like many across the nation, watching 35 games in 44 days. He's also hoping for ''New shoes, golf clothes, happy kids, happy wife, happy life! And plenty of action and high ratings for the KFC T20 Big Bash League to keep execs happy!'' At some point in the day he expects to be making ''a mad dash to Bunnings for batteries because everyone brings presents for the kids with no batteries.'' Good point.

■ Ready to take some fatherly advice is Ten's The Biggest Loser: The Next Generation's Shannan Ponton - who is having his first Christmas as a dad with five-month-old son, Max. ''I can't believe he asked Santa for another six-foot, brand-new surfboard … considering he's only 70 centimetres long,'' laughs the trainer, who reckons he's been an ''extremely good boy this year'' and deserves ''a little fish skateboard''. ''My wife reminds me daily that I'm way too old to be skating … but …''

■ There will be no such sporting heroics from weather man Tim Bailey who may be predicting a sunny summer for Sydneysiders but plans to spend his holidays under his favourite palm tree in the Cook Islands with a cold beer. ''I'm asking for Sandra Sully. Have done for the past 20 years. I'm working with her all next year, so the big bloke in the red suit must be listening.''

■ Meanwhile, Chrissie Swan is spending her holidays settling into a new home with her young family ''exploring'' her new postcode and ''treating that like a holiday somewhere new''. She's looking for a diverse and detailed list, which includes: ''A mandolin for fine slicing (hopefully Santa watches MasterChef too!). Rollerskates. Stokke mini bassinet (for new baby). Tent (for backyard camping). Rolser shopping trolley (for trips to Prahran Market).''

■ Terri Irwin's Santa stocking wish is as unique as they come, with a ''new X-ray machine for our Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital at the top''. She plans on spending her holidays with crocodiles at Australia Zoo as will her daughter, Bindi, who is hoping Santa will be equally wildlife conscious by putting a new tractor for the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve ''to help with fire management'' in her (rather large) sack. ''I'm also excited to be catching up with friends from the Northern Territory who are coming down to visit!'' she says.

■ Ten's weather gal Magdalena Roze is just looking forward to having a break that doesn't involve 3.15am shift starts. ''This is my first holiday over Christmas in a number of years so I'm really excited to spend time at the beach and entertaining with family and friends. I have a month off so I'll be furnishing my home, visiting my sister in Buenos Aires and doing a bit of a road trip up the coast, probably ending up in Byron.''

■ Seven's Natalie Barr, who hosted Carols in The Domain last night, says she doesn't have a wish list. ''I love surprises so I don't normally ask for things from Santa but I do need a new pair of runners. Perhaps a pair of those hot pink ones.'' Barr is heading with her family to Western Australia today for Christmas in Bunbury.

■ TV host Andrew O'Keefe swears he's ''dying for a tying - a new bow tie that is. I've seen some beautiful ones at Le Noeud Papillon. And a new Oxfam goat - if I can get an African one, I'll have the whole set!'' and has a simple plan for the holidays. Not to. ''The plan is not to plan. I do not, therefore I am.''

■ Much more organised is his Weekend Sunrise co-host Samantha Armytage whose list is a little more ambitious. ''For Christmas I would like a convertible sports car. I will get a candle [or something like that],'' she says. She's heading out of town for a big Chrissy lunch. ''All my family is going to be together at mum and dad's property in the country. As we usually live across three continents, this year is extra special.''

■ The Morning Show's new travel reporter Laura Csortan would love ''a Hermes travel wallet to keep my passport and travel docs safe and stylish while travelling for work'' and also ''as I'll be spending a lot of time on the road an iPad mini would be amazing to store pics and music''. With the list sent to the North Pole, there is one surprise left for Csortan for Christmas morning: ''We are opening the envelope that has the sex of my sister's baby in it, which will be the best present of all … no doubt that will kick everyone into a great festive mood and the day will be amazing.''

■ Ten's Natarsha Belling is hoping Santa will slip down the chimney armed with some Supernanny-style tactics. As do many mums around the country, who've been threatening the naughty or nice list for the past month. ''For my young sons to go to bed on time every night and sleep past 7am every weekend! Seriously, just for the festive season to be filled with lots of love and laughter,'' she says, admitting she plans on ''turning off my mobile phone''.

■ One proud papa this year is The Living Room's Barry du Bois, who told S he's already received ''the greatest gift'' this year with the birth of ''my beautiful twins Bennet and Arabella, so all I wish for is their health and happiness (and maybe an iPad mini)''. Du Bois will be in Bondi for Chrissy and then flies to Queensland for '' a week with the twins' godparents at their beach home''. Sweet.